Apparatus amd method fob behoving



J. T. SIMMONS Original Filed May 10, 1952 APPARATUS AND METHOD FORREMOVING FLUIDS FROM WELLS Sept. 17, 1935.

Reissued Sept. 17, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIC FLUIDS John T. 8

FROM

,Tex.,I-oslgnorto Simmons Automatic Valve Company, Longvlew, Ten, acorporation or Texas Original No. Serial No. for reissue 13Claims.

This invention relates to apparatus and method for removing fluids fromwells.

An object of the invention is to provide apparatus for lifting fluids,such as oil, from deep wells by the use or low pressure gas, air orother similar lii'ting fluid.

Another object is to provide apparatus whereby the fluid to be liftedmay be elevated in stages from above downwardly.

Another object is to.provide an apparatus of the character describedequipped with valves of a novel type arranged to maintain the pressureline closed against the entrance of fluid from the well while theapparatus is being lowered but which will successively open from abovedownwardly when the pressure fluid is applied through said pressureline.

Another object is to provide an apparatus of the character describedwhich can be used in wells having tubing of diflerent sizes, and with orwithout standing valve, or back pressure valve in the tubing beneath thepressure line.

A further object is to provide an apparatus of the character describedwhich is of such construction that the lifting fluid, whether gas orair, will at all times be effective to lift the well fluid from the wellfor the reason that the valve through which said lifting fluid is beingdischarged from the pressure line is always beneath the level of thefluid to be lifted, in the well.

A still further object is to provide a pressure line tor the liftingfluid with a novel type of discharge valves so arranged and spaced apartfrom above downwardly thatthe well fluid will not be subjected to greatpressure which would result in the oil accumulating in the well beingdriven back into the oil sand; but by means of which the oil, or otherwell fluid, may be liited and discharged from the well a, head at a timefrom above downwardly so that a lifting fluid under comparatively lowpressure can be utilized, thus making it possible to use inexpensiveequipment for supplying the pressure or lii'ting fluid and lessening theliability of bursting the pressure line.

A further object is to provide in an apparatus for removing liquid froma well, a novel type control valve.

With the above and other objects in view this invention has particularrelation to certain novel features oi construction, operation andarrangement of parts an example of which is given in this specificationand illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 shows a vertical sectional view show.

1,927,958, dated September 810,365, my 1', 1932. October 31, 1933.Serial includes a. valve tube 28, 1933, Application No. 696,090

ing the lower end 01 the apparatus in a tubing in a well.

Figure 2 shows a side view of the complete apparatus in a well, the welltubing and screen being shown partly in section.

Figure 3 shows a iragmentary side elevation of the lower end 01' theapparatus as located in a well tubing which is equipped with a standingvalve and is shown in section.

Figure 4 shows a longitudinal, sectional view of a valve mechanismemployed, and

Figure 5 shows a cross sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 4.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing wherein like numerals ofreference designated similar parts in each 0! the figures, the numeral idesignates the well tubing which may have a screen 2 at its lower endand, if desired, the tubing i may have a standing valve 3 above thescreen.

Attached to the upper end of the tubing there is a tubing head I whichmay have the outflow line, or discharge line, 5, leading outwardlytherefrom.

A pressure line 6, for the biting fluid may be located so as to extenddown into the tubing to the required depth with its lower end usuallyabove the screen 2 and above the back pressure valve 3 ii the latter isused.

This pressure line has a fluid tight flt through the casing head I andmay be equipped with the pressure gauge 1 if desired.

The pressure line 6 may have any desired number of short sections, ortubular inserts, as I incorporated therein, and spaced approximately auniform distance apart and each insert 8 has one or more valvemechanisms therein which will now be described. Each valve mechanism Ithrough the wall of the insert 8 and whose outer and inner ends areflared iormingthe valve seats II and II. Each tube Q has an internalspider I! having a hearing it through which the valve stem ll may slideaxially with respect to the corresponding tube 5. Each stem I has anouter valve l5 and an inner valve ll fixed thereto whose inner sides arebeveled to conform to the shape of and to flt against the correspondingvalve seats Ill and II. Surrounding each stem ll and interposed betweenthe corresponding spider l2 and inner 5 valve ii there is a strong coilspring II, the springs oi the valves of the lower insert I beingstronger than those of the valves above.

The lower end oi the pressure line 0 is closed andmrroundingthe outerends of the valve tubes 9, and secured to the corresponding inserts, orsections 8, are the hoods l8 whose upper sides are perforated to permitthe outlet of the pressure, or lifting, fluid and to properly distributethe same.

The apparatus may be assembled as shown and as the pressure line 6 islet down into the well the valves l5 will be closed by the springs H andwill remain closed until the lifting fluid is applied, under pressure,through the line B. The oil or other fluid in the well will thus beexcluded from the line 6 while it is being lowered. When the pressureline is lowered to the required depth all of the valves will besubmerged beneath the level of the oil in the well. Pressure fluid, suchas gas or air may now be introduced into the line 6 and it will causethe upper valves IE to open first for the reason that these valves aresubjected to the least pressure from the oil in the well, being locatednearer the oil level than the other valves beneath. The lifting fluidwill then pass out through the upper tubes 9 and will lift the oil aboveout through the tubing l and discharge line 5. As this oil is liftedfrom the well the oil level in the well will be lowered beneath saidupper valves l5 and the outside pressure against said upper valves I5will thus be decreased and the continued pressure of the lifting flluidwithin the line 6 will now operate to close the upper valves H: whichwill be held closed by the pressure of the lifting fluid in line 6. Thenext succeeding valves l5 will now be opened by the pressure of thelifting fluid in line 6 by reason of the fact that the outside pressureof the well fluid against said valves has been decreased. The liftingfluid will now escape through the corresponding tubes 9 and the oil willagain be discharged from the well lowering the level of said 011 in thewell and gradually decreasing the outside pressure against said openvalves until said pressure and the pressure of the corresponding springsI! are overcome and the corresponding valves l6 will now closesaid tubes9. The pressure of the operating fluid in the line 6 will now operate toopen the lower valves l5 and to hold the valves l6 above closed. Thelifting, or operating, fluid passing through the line 6 will now operateto lift the next sucweeding head of oil, as before and discharge it fromthe well, and when the outside pressure decreases sufficiently thepressure of the fluid in the line 6 will close the lower valves l6. Thespring l1 tending to open the lower valves l5 are made stronger thanthose of the other valves above and when the lower valves I8 are closedthe level of the oil in the well will begin to rise and submerge thelower valves and the outside pressure, assisted by the correspondingsprings II, will tend to open said lower valves l6 and the pressure inthe line B may be decreased sufficiently to permit said lower valves 16to open and the operating fluid will now escape through said openedvalves and discharge another head of oil. Thereafter the lower valveswill alternately open and close, as above stated, to discharge the oilfrom the well in successive heads.

From the foregoing it is obvious that high pressure lifting fluid willnot be required for the reason that the well fluid is started to flow instages, or heads, and after the operation is started only apredetermined head is permitted to accumulate before it is elevated anddischarged from the well.

It is obvious that in shallow wells only the lower valve may benecessary through which the operating fluid may be introducedsuccessively into the liquid to be lifted as said liquid accumulates andthe liquid thus discharged from the well successively by heads.

The drawing and description disclose what is now considered to be apreferred form of the invention by way of illustration only, while thebroad principle of the invention will be defined by the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. Apparatus for removing fluid from wells comprising a pressure lineadapted to be lowered into a well and having passageways spaced apartalong the line and radially movable double acting valves for controllingsaid passageways and normally held closed to prevent the inlet of thefluid from the well.

2. Apparatus for removing fluid from wells comprising a pressure lineadapted to be lowered into a well and having its lower end closed. saidline having outlet passageways spaced apart longitudinally therealong,radially movable double acting outlet valve means positioned to controlthe passageway, and arranged to be successively opened and then closedby the pressure of an operating fluid in the line.

3. Apparatus for removing fluid from wells comprising a pressure lineadapted to be lowered into a well and having its lower end closed andhaving outlet passageways spaced apart 1011:

gitudinally therealong, each passageway having an outer and an innerseat, valve means subject to the pressure of the well fluid andcontrolling said passageways, means assisted by said pressure andnormally holding the valve means in position to maintain the passagewaythrough the outer seat closed against the entrance of fluid from thewell into said line, said valve means being subject to the pressure ofan operating fluid in said line and being formed to permit thepassageway through the outer seat to be opened and the passagewaythrough the inner seat to be then closed by said pressure.

4. Apparatus for removing fluid from wells comprising a pressure lineadapted to be lowered into a well and having outlets spaced apartlongitudinally along said line, and closed beneath the lower outlet,valve means for controlling each outlet, each valve means including anouter valve arranged to be closed by pressure outside of the line and aninner valve rigidly connected to the outer valve arranged to be closedby the pressure of an operating fluid in the line.

5. Apparatus for removing fluid from wells comprising a pressure lineadapted to be lowered into a well and having outlets spaced apart lon- 5gitudinally along said line. and having its lower end closed, valvemeans for controlling each outlet, each valve means including an outervalve arranged to be held closed by pressure outside of the line, toexclude the entrance of the well fluid into said line, and an innervalve connected to the outer valve and arranged to be closed by thepressure of an operating fluid in the line,

resilient means normally tending to hold the r outer valve closed andthe inner valve open.

6. Apparatus for removing fluid from wells comprising a pressure lineadapted to be lowered into a well, tubes through the wall of said linespaced apart longitudinally along the line, each 7 tube having an outerand an inner valve seat, an outwardly opening valve arranged to controlsaid outer seat, an inwardly opening valve arranged to control saidinner seat, means connecting said outer and inner valves which preventstheir independent movement and means closing the line beneath thelowermost tube.

7. Apparatus for removing fluid from wells comprising a pressure lineadapted to be lowered into a well, tubes through the wail of said linespaced apart longitudinally along the line, each tube having an outerand an inner valve seat, an outwardly opening valve arranged to controlsaid outer seat, and whose maximum area is exposed to the pressure oithe wall fluid, an inwardly opening valve arranged to control said innerseat, means connecting said outer and inner valves which prevents theirindependent movement, and yieldable means normally holding the innervalve open and the outer valve closed.

8. Apparatus'i'or removing fluid from wells comprising a presmre lineadapted to be lowered into a well, tubes through the wall of said linespaced apart longitudinally along the lines, each tube having an outerand an inner valve seat, an outwardly opening valve arranged to controlsaid outer seat, an inwardly opening valve arranged to control saidinner seat, means con necting said outer and inner valves which preventstheir independent movement, a spring within each tube normally holdingthe inner valve open and the outer valve closed, and a periorated hoodi'orming a shield around and spaced from the outer end oi each tube.

9. Apparatus for removing fluid from wells comprising a tubular pressureline having elongated. radial passageways adjacent the lower end of theline and spaced apart longitudinally along said line, an outwardlyopening and an inwardly opening valve associated with each eway, meansconnecting said valves to prevent their independent movement, yleldablemeans normally tending to hold the outwardly openingvalveinposltiontoclosesaidand theinwardlyopeningvalveinpodtiontoopensaidpassageway.saidvalvesbeingexposedto the pressure oi an operatingfluid in said line whereby their positions may be reversed, theresistance oi the lower yieldable means exceeding that oi those above.

10. Apparatus for removing fluid from wells comprising a procure linehaving openings spaced apart longitudinally along the line. a bearing ineaehiopming, means closim the line 11. The method of removing a fluid:lrom a well having a tube and pressure line which con- 10 sists inintroducing a conflned column of an operating fluid through said line,under pressure. into the well and initially introducing said operatingfluid from said column into the well fluid in ve stages from abovedownwardly and 16 flnally introducing said operating fluid.intermittently, into the well fluid at the lowermost stage only wherebysaid well fluid will be discharged from the well.

12. The method of removing a fluid from a well so which consists inintroducing a conflned column of an operating fluid through a pressureline, under pressure, into a well, initially releasing said operatingfluid from said column, into the well fluid, successively at differentlevels from 25 above downwardly, whereby the well fluid will bedischarged by heads between the line and the walls oi the well andflnally introducing said operating fluid, intermittently, into the wellfluid at a lower level and excluding the operating fluid from the wellfluid at higher levels.

13. Apparatus for removing liquid from a well comprising a tubular lineadapted to be lowered into a well to provide two conduits one within theline, and the other between said line and the walls of the well, one ofsaid conduits being provided to conduct an operating fluid-into thewell, and the other conduit being provided for the discharge of liquidfrom the well. said line having passageways spaced apart longitudinallyis along said line, and the line being closed beneath the lowerpassageway, valve means lor controlling each passageway, each valvemeans includingavalvearrangedtobeclosedbythe pressure 01' the liquidbeing elevated, and also as includingavalvel'lgidlyconnectedtotheflrstmentionedvalveandarrangedtobeelosedby thepressure or the operating fluid.

JOHN '1'. SDDIOHB.

